This detail is pretty special in many ways, so when I was contacted about it, I gladly accepted. Most importantly, this vehicle belongs to CPT Austin McNaul, of the US Army, who is currently on his second deployment in Afghanistan. While he is away, he asked his parents to safeguard his dog, Bruce, and this fine example of German engineering, his 2007 BMW 335i. The other reason this detail is so special is that CPT McNaul’s father, Eric, has been a leader, mentor, and above all, a very good friend to my wife during her 8+ years at her job. For this, I also consider him a very good friend. When I first evaluated the vehicle with Eric he mentioned that he wanted lots of pictures and possibly some video, which he could later send to CPT McNaul showing the before and after condition. After looking the car over I suggested a 2-step paint correction and a full interior detail to get the car looking better. Secretly, my wife and I had already discussed going “all out” on the car as a surprise for them both.

The proud owner himself, CPT Austin McNaul

The condition of the car was pretty rough on the outside with some very nasty water spot etching, heavy swirls, scratches, and door scuffs. The interior was in about average condition but the leather needed a good cleaning and conditioning. Detailing the engine bay wasn’t planned, but after seeing how much dust/dirt was built up, I figured I’d give it a quick once over too.

Before Pictures

As you can see below, years of dirt and grime had been worked down into all the seams and textured groves of the leather.

A few other areas that required some attention

The crustiness down in the cup holder required the power of steam to fully remove.

After I finished the initial cleaning of the leather, I started the Leatherique treatment by allowing Rejuvenator Oil to soak in for 48hrs (Reapplied after 24hrs). After allowing the Rejuvenator Oil to soak in I followed that up by cleaning with Leatherique Pristine Clean.

Moving on to the engine bay, you can see why I decided to clean it up a little with all the accumulated dust and dirt. This was done using Optimum Power Clean, agitation with various brushes, followed by a light rinse with the pressure washer. All plastics and rubber were dressed with Meguiar’s Hyper Dressing at 4:1 (Precautions were taken around the sensitive areas).

Hands down, I spent the most time on the exterior and addressing the water spot issues. After a good wash with Meguiar’s Hyper Wash and a thorough decon with IronX, Tarminator, and Speedy Prep Towel, I brought the vehicle back in for a closer inspection. The damage done by the hard water spots was some of the worst I’ve ever seen and they literally changed the overall texture on the hood and fenders. If you look at the hood picture below you’ll notice the lack of gloss and the overhead lights look fuzzy/distorted in the reflection.

Zooming in closer to the surface of the hood, we get a much better idea of why there was such a lack of gloss and can see why the reflection was so distorted.

Closer yet (crop of the above pic)

And another taken with my cell phone, which better shows the “vinyl like” texture of the paint after the hard water had wreaked havoc on it.

Removing these water spots meant I would have to do a good amount of wet sanding. So, the first thing I needed to do was take some paint readings to ensure there was enough clear coat to allow for such an aggressive correction. BMW’s of this year tend to have a good amount of material on them, which can be seen in the image below. Average readings throughout the car with my PTG were in the 165 to 180 micron range.

However, before sanding I wanted to address some of the larger rock chips on the front of the hood, which Eric mentioned he was concerned with. My method for touching up chips it to build up the paint/clear, then I shave them down with my cool little Festool Denibber, which you can pick up from Kevin Brown.

Building up the paint

Shaving it down level with my denibber

After the chips were taken care of I wet sanded the roof, hood, and deck lid with Meguiar’s 1500 and 3000 grit foam backed “Finishing” discs. I paired each disc with a Meguiar’s Interface Pad, as my intention was to remove the water spots while minimizing removal of the OEM orange peel. The reason being I wanted to avoid a noticeable difference in panel texture/appearance. All sanding was done via my favorite DA sander, the Mirka Ceros, which you can also get from Kevin Brown.

Some etching could still be seen after sanding, but I’d say 95% of it was removed and any remaining etching would be very hard to spot after polishing.

Moving on to the rest of the paint, you can see just how swirled up it was after years of automatic car washes and improper washing.

Scratches and Scuffs

For those of your reading this who have ever gotten the “hub scrub” option at the automatic car wash, this is what that long spinning “street sweeper” brush is doing to the finish on your wheels, and in this case, the paint on the lower rocker panels…notice all the vertical scratches?

I also spot sanded all the deep scratches and door scuffs

Eric was hoping I could clean up the silver trim, which was also affected by the hard water spots. I’ve not always had the best luck with the various types of BMW trim, fortunately these cleaned up nicely after a few passes with Meguiar’s M101 compound on the rotary using 3″ wool pads.

Final polishing was done using the Rupes LHR15 equipped with a foam polishing pad and Optimums new “Primer” polish, which is included with the purchase of each Opti-Coat Pro syringe (Currently not available with Opti-Coat 2.0). This new Primer has the same abrasive package as Optimum Hyper Polish, but with the addition of a catalyst, which aids in the bonding of the coating, but more importantly, eases application of Opti-Coat Pro. While HD Adapt finished down very well on this paint, Optimum Primer brought the gloss up a notch or two.

How about some 50/50 shots?

Although Eric recently put the winter wheels and tires on in preparation for our lovely MN winters, but I wanted to get them cleaned up and protected anyway. He’ll come back in the spring and have me clean up the good set of summer wheels and tires. The faces on the winter set were in pretty good shape, but the barrels had been damaged from all the accumulated brake dust eating into the finish. I cleaned them up with Sonax Full Effect, removed all road tar, and then polished them with Optimum Primer polish and Meguiar’s 3″ MF pads on the Meguiar’s G110v2. They were then coated with Optimum Opti-Coat pro and tires were dressed with Meguiar’s Hyper Dressing at 4:1.

I also cleaned up the wheel wells a little, nothing crazy though.

Wheels all coated and ready to be reinstalled.

Wheels were torqued back to factory specs

As per my usual, I was working down to the wire and Eric arrived before I had a chance to get all the after pictures I wanted, though I feel I captured enough. For some reason I have a hard time remembering which shots I need to take when someone is waiting for me. Eric was very pleased though and as I went around the car getting my pics, he kept snapping his own and wanted one of me next to the car.

Time for some after pics!

All paint was corrected to the same level, even the lower rocker panels. Vertical “hub scrub” scratches removed!

The hood turned out great, aside from a few bug splatters which had etched through the paint.

I love Black Sapphire Metallic!

A proud father giving his approval!

Eric sent me over several pictures when he got home, but I really feel this last photo sums up the whole job! CPT Austin McNaul, I hope you enjoy your reconditioned car and, most importantly, Thank you for your service!!!

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article as much as I did creating it. If you have any comments, please feel free to and them in the comment box below.

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Purchase the products used in this article individually or in one convenient package here!

NXT 3, iNtense eXtreme Training, 9-22-2012

A little over a year ago now, three of your fellow Detailed Image AAP blog authors traveled to Meguiar’s Headquarters in Irvine, CA to attend the 3rd ever NXT iNtense eXtreme Training class. Not only did Greg Nichols, Addison Good, and myself attend this advanced training, but there were several other of the nations top detailers in attendance as well. Now you may be thinking, “why would the AAP blog guys and other top pros need training??? They are already pro detailers, right???” The answer is simple; Automotive paint and the detailing industry are constantly changing and it’s important to stay current with the latest polishing tools, products, and techniques. Staying on top of the newest technology and products is also one of the many reasons we attend events like SEMA. On top of that, no matter how much you think you may know, there is always someone that knows more, at least in some aspect of the profession. Get a bunch of knowledgeable guys in a room and you’d be surprised what new things you can learn from each other. With the above in mind I would like to add one piece of advice; stay humble! Don’t get stuck in your way or grow an ego which can keep you from learning new things.

What is NXti?

So what is NXTi and what did it offer to a bunch of the nations top detailers? well, To quote the advertisement from Kevin Brown:

“Is NXT for beginners, or experts?” It’s for BOTH!

While it is probably best that a person planning to attend NXT have at least some experience in the realm of sanding or polishing automotive paint, by no means is it a requirement. The teaching format of NXT blends classroom-style information sharing with a hands-on approach. In short, learning is easy! You’ll leave the class with an understanding of why things work the way they do, and retain the information longer.

Throughout the day, our instructors will discuss the theory behind proper sanding and polishing techniques. While the information is still fresh, you’ll immediately spend time working under the watchful eye of some of the best in the industry! We’ll guide you through various sanding and polishing processes, all the while making adjustments to your technique, and explain why these adjustment must be made.

Additionally, you’ll watch us guide your classmates along their learning path, making needed recommendations & adjustments along the way. This four-prong approach to learning is very effective, and loads of fun (1. Discuss the process; 2. Observe the process; 3. Implement the process; 4. Summarize what you’ve learned.)

It is in this segment that beginners and weekend warriors will observe the various expert-level attendees work their magic. Keep a keen-eye open, because you’ll learn the finer points of high-level paint restoration as our instructors fine-tune the techniques of some of the BEST paint restoration guys in the USA. This promises to be a real BLAST to SEE!

“What subject matter will NXT encompass?” We will discuss a wide variety of topics, some of which are listed below.

First and foremost, NXT will focus on teaching you the basics of sanding and polishing automotive paint.

We’ll discuss, demonstrate, and instruct you on the basics of Paint Sanding via hand and machine, which will allow you to safely and confidently:

This segment of the class promises to be very exciting, as it is critical that you understand what is happening during the polishing process so that you are able to quickly and efficiently make adjustments to your technique while you work. You’ll learn how parameters such as machine speed, backing plate rotation, and applied pressure can change the dynamics of what is taking place between the buffing pad and paint surface.

We’ll delve into the subject of buffing pads and discs, explaining the features and benefits of the various materials used to make them. You’ll also learn how a pad’s design can affect its overall performance. Did you realize that increasing the diameter of a pad from 3″ to 4″ increases the measured surface area of the pad by over 75%? If you answered yes to that question, did you also realize that depending upon a pad’s design, a 3″ diameter pad of one design could actually plant more of its material against the paint surface, compared to a 4″ diameter pad of a mildly different design? Do you understand what I’m getting at? There’s a lot more to pad design than meets the eye.

The information shared in this segment will teach you to quickly analyze pads and discs, enabling you to get a very good sense of what to expect prior to polishing. For me, this is one of the most interesting and misunderstood areas of paint polishing, so we’ll work hard to clear things up.

The list of topics goes on, and we’re prepared to discuss them at length.

Consider The Quality Of Your Trainers

While there are several place throughout the US where one can attend detailing training, not all are created equal. Knowledge comes from experience and the one key thing that attracted so many top pros to NXTi was the sheer amount of knowledge that it brought to the table! Just to give you an idea of what I’m talking about, let me share with you the Bio from each our trainers.

Kevin Brown:

Ever since Kevin inadvertently stripped the zinc from the spokes of his bike using an acid-based bathroom cleaner (and then having to constantly polish them to keep rust at bay), he’s been “hooked” on the cleaning and detailing of all sorts of transportation vehicles. With training that began at the legendary Steve’s Detailing in Newport Beach, CA, Kevin spent a dozen years detailing full-time, eventually deciding to pick and choose his detail-gigs on a case by base basis. In total, Kevin says he’s got nearly 30 years of cleaning experience under his belt. Projects with companies such as Meguiar’s Inc. and Alpine Electronics of America are not uncommon, and Kevin says he’s spent up to 83 hours non-stop to complete a project car for a deadline.

Kevin added: “I thought that was a pretty impressive, until one late night I shared this fantastic feat with none other than Chip Foose. Chip listened and nonchalantly replied, ‘My record is 11 days.’ You could almost hear the balloon-deflating shriveling sound emanating from my ego.”

Now that Kevin’s gearing up his buffdaddy.com website, he stays plenty busy selling, shipping, and chatting about all things related to paint sanding & polishing, high-end detailing, and life in general. “It is quite a treat to be able to converse with so many interesting guys, all of them hoping to improve upon their skills and the finish of whichever vehicle they are working on that day.”

Kevin plans? “I will continue to grow my Buff Daddy site, and look forward to opening a storefront of sorts. This will allow me to more efficiently sell, house, and ship products, offer various training classes, and detail whichever ride I deem interesting.”

Jason Rose:

Jason began his career in high school washing and waxing cars for side money. (Although his parents would say it began in the crib, the baby crib…where, if it wasn’t a toy car, it got tossed out.) That evolved into a strong 6 year part time business while going to college. Post graduation, the business went full time and thrived with several different business partners over an additional 6 years. In 1993, Jason moved from Southern California to Dallas, Texas, to advance his career into detail supply distribution. Putting his extensive detailing knowledge to work training and selling the Meguiar’s line of products with Wash Solutions, a large detail supply company with a long history in Dallas, he grew route sales by 45% in 2 years.

Then, in 1995, Jason moved back to the Los Angeles, California, area to join the PBE Warehouse team in Downey, CA, as their first Detailing Specialist focusing on the Meguiar’s product line. Once again, Jason generated dramatic sales performance by applying his detailing knowledge to train and educate other professional detailers. PBE Warehouse is an automotive paint and equipment supply company to the paint refinish industry, so it was during his short time with these paint experts, that Jason learned a tremendous amount about paint technology.

So, in 1996, after 12 years experience as a successful mobile detailer, hands-on experience in both detail & auto paint distribution, Jason joined Meguiar’s, Inc. in an entry level sales position. Jason already knew Barry Meguiar and the management team at Meguiar’s because they were customers of his several years earlier. Jason had an honor and privilege awarded to very few individuals since then…he was the only detailer allowed to come by the Meguiar’s corporate office on a weekly basis and detail cars for the most car crazy people in the world. Eventually, Jason was welcomed in on the sales/training team. He advanced in performance and was promoted several times within the first few years ultimately achieving the highest regional sales position responsible for a five state territory and three other sales reps.

From a platform of consistently being a top sales representative and trainer on the Meguiar’s team, Jason was promoted out of sales and into the marketing team in 2005 where his focus was on product development for professional products. He immediately jumped into some rather enormous projects. In 2006, Meguiar’s launched its largest polishing system initiative in 10 years, the Solo One Liquid System (M86). This new Super-Micro Abrasive Technology gained instant recognition globally and began the dramatic progression of new products and systems launched since 2006. Jason worked on other subsequent home-run products such as M105 Ultra Cut Compound (2007), M205 Ultra Finishing Polish (2008), and the revolutionary D.A. Microfiber Correction System (2010.)

Meguiar’s currently utilizes Jason’s vast detailing knowledge, skills, and product development experience for high level professional projects spanning the globe. He travels extensively internationally working on locally specific products and training-the-trainer workshops.

Jason Rose has 35 plus years experience in the detailing industry. He currently is the Global Technical Services & Training Manager: Professional Automotive and Marine Products for Meguiar’s, Inc., Irvine, California, USA. To contact him: 949-752-3801 or email jrose@meguiars.com

Michael Stoops:

An enthusiast detailer for years, Mike joined Meguiar’s in 2008 after being a regular at our Thursday Night Open Garage sessions, being part of the Meguiar’s/Ford SEMA Team, participating in the Alpine Electronics custom boat project for CES, and helping buff out a Meguiar’s big rig damaged during a storm at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, AZ. He joined Meguiar’s in the role of Surface Care Specialist and has moved on to become Administrator of our detailing forum, meguiarsonline.com. This includes teaching our Saturday Detailing 101 classes, Saturday Advanced Paint Care Classes, and hosting our Thursday Night Open Garage sessions. Mike has also been called on to conduct detailing seminars at the various Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auctions around the country, for the Rolls Royce Owners Club National Meet, MG-TC Guild, the Ferrari Owner’s Club of America, and at RM Auctions in Monterey, as well as for several car enthusiast magazines and websites.

Others

On top of having these three amazing instructors we also had the pleasure of a Q&A session with one of Meguiar’s chemists, Brent Dunning, and the great Joe Fernandez of Superior Shine helped out with keeping things running smoothly and provided some great comedy for all.

Pictures From The Event

So hopefully you’ve stayed with me throughout this rather long article and now I’d like to share some pics of the great time we had.

Meguiar’s had set up a group rate at the Orange County Double Tree Hotel and arranged for a little a meet & greet the night before the event.

Arriving at Meguiar’s before the start of the day

Classroom

Learning…

Hands on areas with various hoods and panels for sanding and polishing…we also took advantage of Bryan’s black rental car.

Applying our newly learned knowledge

Our own Addison Good spinning the rotary along with Jeff McGoveran (Immaculate Reflections) and Michael Murphy

The bald spot on the right is Greg Nichols carefully wet sanding all the way to the edge.

The man himself, Joe Fernandez…for those of you who don’t know Joe, his shirt says a LOT about him.

Kevin, the “Poobah of Polish” himself, was demonstrating the right and wrong way to “buff off an edge.” On the right, Richard Lin (Show Car Detailing) was also in attendance.

Better than just some stinking gloss meter!

After hours, Kevin busted out some more tools…specifically the new Rupes and Mirka tools, which most of us spent some time with. The Rupes LHR21E can be seen in use here.

The trio of AAP Blog Authors before we headed out.

Another, but with Jason Rose and Kevin Brown this time. Take notice of the custom G110v2 I’m holding! Every detailer in attendance was given $500 worth of products, including a brand new G110v2 DA polisher with custom, smaller diameter, stainless steel housing, which was even laser etched! Props to Kevin Brown for getting these made!

The goods!

Conclusion

Hopefully you’ve enjoyed hearing about our experience at the NXTi training. The AAP guys had an amazing time hanging out with everyone and we all agreed that we definitely walked away with a greater understanding of polishing and sanding paint, the dynamics behind it, as well as applying that new knowledge to better handle difficult polishing situations when they should arise. While I did my best to document my time at training, it is very hard to do when you become so involved with what’s going on. If you wish to see some excellent pictures from the event, Meguiar’s actually has several more which you can view here.

Well, I’m happy to announce that Detailed Image has finally picked up some of the Meguiar’s Detailer Line product bottles! I’ve been using these clever little guys for years now and I’m happy to be the one who gets to share them with you! Woo Hoo!

I’m sure most of you are like, “okay, these are just spray bottles right?” Yes! But they are so much more then that too!

Color-Coded

Each bottle is colored and labeled specifically for one product, which means no mistakes when you go to grab a bottle…unless your eyes are closed that is…

Dilution Ratios

The label also includes the dilution ratio marks specific to each product.

Instructions, MSDS, and Safety

On top of the foregoing awesomeness, each bottle also has usage instructions specific to the product as well as all the required safety and MSDS labeling info! OSHA will love you for buying these bottles!!!!

Look Cool

Last but not least, the bottles simply look awesome and will make your workspace look nice and organized. Notice how easy it is to differentiate between the Meguiar’s Detailer Line bottles compared to the basic bottles with my homemade labels.

FYI – The fill line for the bottles is shown below; add water up to the desired dilution marks and then add product to the edge shown.

So, you finally took the plunge and purchased a new polisher to take care of your baby…only problem is that you’ve never used one and now you’re afraid to use it on her. You definitely aren’t alone, in fact this is a scenario I see quite often, which is partially what prompted this article. However, the heart of my article actually has more to do with amateur and pro detailers who are faced with the problem of finding a way to test out new products and techniques, without using their own vehicle as a test subject. Why not use my car, you say? Because repeated polishing sessions will quickly thin your paint and eventually lead to a strike-through or premature clear coat failure. Using a client’s car may be an option for some, but I personally find that I’m often pressed for time on a job and therefore don’t typically have the time to play around with new polishes, especially when they don’t immediately have the results you expected (a subject on which Greg Nichols covers in one of his most recent articles). My personal preference has also been to get a good feel for a product long before I use it on a client’s car, especially when it comes to products intended for paint protection. So, outside of having the shiniest lawn mower in the neighborhood, the most commonly suggested solution to your lack of a test “subject” is to head out to a local junk yard or body shop and grab a scrap panel. Using a piece sourced from a body shop or salvage shop can definitely be a very good option; however, scrap panels often bear significant damaged, are quite large, hard to mount securely because of their shape, and they just take up too much darn space when they are not being used!

Have no fear, the perfect solution to this issue has been around for quite some time and even made an appearance several years ago on the Meguiar’s forum. About a year ago I was fed up with my scrap hood and began looking for a more efficient and space-saving way to test new product. During the search I stumbled on some images that I remembered from that Meguiars forum of the past. Intrigued, I reached out to the poster to inquire as to how I could create my own test subject. After using this “device” for about 6 months I continue to be very happy with the outcome and therefore decided that this idea needed be shared! Now, since I’m a firm believer in giving credit where credit is due, I asked for permission to share the story behind these cool little fixtures along with some of the creator’s original pictures, taken during a training class at the time. I’m sure some of you reading this have seen his name mentioned before, although he goes by several: KB, BuffyDaddy, WAXMAN, Czar of Car, Poobah of Polish, The Almighty One, or simply Kevin Brown.

Below is a quote from Kevin about the history of these test panels as well as some photos of his setup.

“I came up with the idea.

When I used to sell Meguiar’s at car shows, I needed a way to demonstrate how to use rotary and random orbital machines. I figured that each 6′ table could handle two demo stations, so I set up a total of 4 demo stations using the pans to polish on. Each station had short plexi panels of 3 sides, so a customer could watch the demo, yet remain clean should any polish splatter occur.

Originally, I started out using small cookie sheets- the kind that were thin and flat, with two edges bent at about 45 degrees. I made a 3/4″ thick Plexiglas base to mount the pans to, and used Velcro to hold the pans in place along the bent edges.

Once Jason Rose and I decided to do the NXTti (iNtense eXtreme Training tech institute), he requested that we have larger spans of paint to polish on. We considered hoods, but they were very large to transport (we did in fact use a couple hoods as well as polishing stations).

One day, I saw a full bake pan at my friend Dave’s house. In his garage, he had several engine stands, and one of the stands had a full bake cookie sheet mounted underneath the engine (apparently to catch fluids, bolts, etc.)

I realized how great the backside of the pan would work for the demo, and he mentioned they cost about $5 each at a restaurant supply store. So, I went down and bought a couple dozen, and had my contact at the local college paint them for me. I had eyeballed the brackets at Home Depot, so I bought 4 of them to see how the set-up worked. Worked just fine, so I was going to have several sets made out of stainless steel, but ran out of time.

I also needed a way to catch sanding lube (M00 Hi-Tech Wash & water), so I placed an larger flat oil drip pan under the brackets (you can see the pans in some of the NXTti shots online).

Anyway, they work great, are cheap to buy, and easy to have sprayed. Most body shops will paint them cheaply if you ask them to spray the pans using whatever left over paint they may have (most times they’ll just grab a pan or two and spray them along side a car they’re repainting).

Kevin Brown”

Where the idea originated:

Here are two pics of the fixture taken from one of the Meguiars NXTti training classes…some of you may also recognize Jason Rose in this pic.

And here is the Poobah Of Polish himself, next to the great Mike Phillips!

On Kevin’s advice I ordered up a bunch of 12-gauge 18″ x 26″ aluminum sheets pans from an online baking supply store. My father happens to be a body man and a painter, so I simply brought him the sheet pans and requested they be painted solid black with lots of clear. However, I also requested that he split them up and use two different grades of clear so that I could have some variation in paint hardness to play around with.

When it came to mounting the sheet pan, I didn’t want to drill holes into my work bench so I mounted Kevin’s recommended brackets to an old piece of counter top I had around the house. This mounting method allows me to easily transport the fixture anywhere and simply place it on a table top or even a set of saw horses. I found the brackets at my local Home Depot but decided to go a step further and used some foam gasket to hold the sheet pans in with a more snug fit, while at the same time reducing noise and vibration.

Here is my fixture with the section of counter top and the brackets mounted to it.

Close up of the brackets

Sheet pan placed securely into the fixture.

The number of uses for these sheet pans is endless; I’ve used them for trying out new wet sanding media, testing new polishes and pads, new methods of applying coatings, durability testing…the possibilities go on an on!

Here are some pics from a day when I was playing around with wet sanding methods as well as testing out some (at the time) prototype Lake Country pads and the new Meguiar’s M101 Compound, which is not currently sold in the US.

Wet sanded panel (1500 grit/DA)

The contenders

Sheet pan is very secure in the fixture, though it may help to place a MF towel or even a foam pad under the sheet pan to reduce vibration and flexing.

So, the moral of the story: if you are in the market for a more compact and versatile way to test out products and to hone your technique, I strongly suggest looking into the aforementioned as a great solution. The pans also happen to stack very nicely on top of each other and they can even slide under you bed for easy storage! (cheesy infomercial bit)

I really hope you’ve enjoyed this article and, of course, I also want to send a huge “thanks” to Kevin Brown for both the idea and allowing me to share his story and photos.

Who would have thought that one lonely C5 Corvette could turn out to be the driving force behind an article which covers multiple detailing related topics…

The Power of the Professional Detailing Network!

One of the greatest tools for a professional detailer is networking! By harnessing the power of the internet, (Blogs, Forums, Facebook…) not only are we able to learn from one another, but it is also a great tool for helping clients to find a reputable pro detailer in their area. While paying for a pro to fly/drive out to you is an option for some clients, the most logical and economical choice would be to seek the recommendation for a pro detailer in your area, and this is where the power of the detailing network really shines.

A prime example of our network in action is actually the subject for my article, the C5 Corvette. The vehicle’s owner is a recent Texas to Minnesota transplant who originally reached out to Josh Ottmann of Ottmann Detailing in his former hometown of Dallas, Texas. Josh listened to his concerns about the condition/damage of the car, reassured him that a professional detailer could definitely help improve the paint and then referred him to the manager of the “Ask-A-Pro” blog, Todd Cooperider who then referred the owner to me….pretty cool, no?

The importance of documenting existing vehicle damage prior to working on a car

So before we get to the before pics I want to give you a little more info about this car. When the owner recently purchased the vehicle, he noticed something wasn’t right with the paint (he thought it looked like dried on wax), but got such a great deal on the car that there was plenty of wiggle room to have the car detailed. Initially, the owner followed a recommendation to bring the car to a local body shop. While that company was able to improve the finish a little, after seeing some detailing pics on a Corvette forum, he was still unhappy with how it looked and felt it could be better. It was at this point that the owner sought out advice from Josh, a member of that forum.

After I exchanged a few emails with the owner, we agreed to meet up one night after work to evaluate the condition of the car. The car was a little dirty when he arrived but there was still very noticeable holograms in the paint (typical body shop) and several RIDS (Random Isolated Deep Scratches) were also apparent. However, it was the random strike through marks on various edges that were the most concerning. It’s never easy pointing out issues to owners, especially when they weren’t previously aware, but it’s very important as a pro detailer to educate your client upfront and document pre-existing defects prior to working on the car. Taking this step has multiple benefits; building a relationship with your client, education, and protection of your business. I assured Corvette’s owner that the finish could be improved greatly and he scheduled an appointment for the car.

Once the car arrived, I thoroughly washed it to remove all polishing oils and fillers left behind by the body shop, which then revealed its true condition. Now with the car clean and dry, the aforementioned “dried on wax” revealed it’s true colors under the scrutiny of my Brinkmann. What looked like wax from a distance was actually deep scratching left behind from some unknowing person who washed the car with a scuff pad or Scotch Brite pad!!!

Here is some of the damage to the wheels from improper wash media. Sad as it may be, damage like this actually happens more often than you’d think!

Good stuff huh?

While looking over the paint on the car the story of how the damage occurred became more clear; the puzzle started coming into place. There was evidence that the body shop actually wet sanded the finish in an attempt to remove the deep scratching, but in doing so they also appeared to have rubbed through several edges with a rotary buffer and also left behind lots of sanding marks in the paint.

Here are some pics of the scuff pad damage still in the paint.

Here you can see how deep these scratches are…this is after the body shop sanded and buffed them!

Some left over wet sanding marks…

Holograms too!

By far, the worst part was seeing all the strike through marks as there is no real fix other than a repaint of the panel. Corvette’s are notorious for having sharp edges on a lot of their panels and as a pro detailer you have to be very mindful of this characteristic because it only takes a second for a rotary (or even DA) to burn thorough an edge. Prior to doing any correction work on the car I went around and documented all the burned edges. I placed tape next to each spot as a marker and it also gives the camera something to focus on. A few of them may be hard to see because of the light on the edge but you get the idea.

Oh, the body shop was nice enough to leave some compound splatter behind in a few areas too.

Once I completed all documentation, I clayed the paint and taped up all edges with Meguiar’s 3/4″ tape to avoid further damage. Since this was going to be a very dusty job, I left the convertible top closed and covered with a bed sheet.

Taping Tip: 3M’s 1/4″ Fine Line tape (PN 06405) is a must have for any detailer as it is very versatile, allowing it to bend around corners far better than traditional masking tape. It also allows you to polish closer to panel edges and there is also less adhesive pull when you polish over them. It’s especially good for taping off sharp panel bends when wet sanding or doing aggressive polishing. The only down side is that it’s not readily available and it’s also pretty expensive when compared to normal masking tape.

Once the body was complete I opened the convertible top and corrected the back hatch. The sheet draped over the interior to prevent dust invasion.

The Correction Process

This car posed a few concerns when it came to correction, but the biggest concern was that my PTG (Paint Thickness Gage) only reads ferrous and non-ferrous metals, which meant I had no way of verifying how much clear coat was left after the body shop got done with it. While I know my good friends Marc and Jacob at Auto Lavish would have been willing to lend me their DeFelsko PosiTector 200 ultra sonic PTG, my crazy schedule really didn’t allow time to wait for it to arrive. I spoke to the owner about our options and we agreed to just get it looking as good as we could, while treading on the safer side.

Some M105 on the DA equipped with a Surbuf pad yielded similar results and it ended up being my go to method for 90% of the car. Since these cars have such a hard clear coat, this process actually finished down very well!

The body shop apparently only wet sanded above the side door moldings so I ended up having to wet sand the lower sections along with the rear bumper cover, which also appeared untouched.

It was raining the day I finished the car so I arranged a time the next afternoon to meet with the owner for delivery. I had also planned to take some good after (sun) pics before he arrived but their schedule opened up unexpectedly and the owner and his family ended up getting there before me so I wasn’t able to get as many after (sun) shots as generally like to have; may I note that I hate taking pics if front of the owners and I tend forget which shots I wanted to capture. Regardless, I think I got some decent pics that capture the end result, which was about 90-95% correction. She looked like a completely different car and the owner was thrilled!

Even though polishing the wheels wasn’t part of this job, I decided to spend a little time on them to try and remove some of the scratches…they aren’t perfect, but definitely a huge improvement.

Outdoor pics

So, here is a recap of the main points I covered in this reminder article:

The importance of using proper wash media! Some of the damage done to this car was too deep to be completely removed. The finish on our vehicles is very delicate and it’s important that people become aware of just how easily damage is incurred.

Rotary risks and the damage they can inflict within seconds when in the hands of inexperienced users. As detailers we need to slow down, take a step back and evaluate the vehicle before we even lay a polisher to the paint. Whoever took the rotary polisher to the Corvette before me caused thousands of dollars in damage, all of which could have been avoided with a pause for evaluation. An experienced detailer should have seen the sharp panel edges and known to tape them off. 10 minutes and a few dollars in tape could have saved the car from costly damage.

Documenting existing vehicle damage. Prior to working on any vehicle it is extremely important to walk around the car with the owner and note any existing damage. Taking this extra time will help build a relationship with your client as well as protect your business from false accusations of damage after the fact.

The power of the detailing network. With the advent of the internet, detailing forums, blogs, and social media sites have sprung up like wild fire, especially over the last few years! With these tools detailers and car enthusiasts are able to learn faster then ever, help others out, refer clients, advertise, find out about new products before they are even released, and make many new friends. Over the years of being on these sites I have made many new friends. I now talk to several other detailers around the US (and some outside the US) and I even had the pleasure of meeting several of them at the 2010 and 2011 SEMA show.

Thanks for taking the time to read my article. If you have any questions or comments I’d love to hear them.

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A good client of mine had contacted me in the spring asking questions about a new M3 he had just ordered. Over the years I’ve taken care of several new vehicles for this owner and having pointed out damage caused by new car dealers, he was very concerned about getting his new baby in unmolested. I had instructed him to strictly inform the dealer not to touch the car outside of the necessary PDI (pre-delivery inspection) work…apparently he reminded them of this several times during the waiting period. He also informed the sales guy that I’d be coming along the day of delivery to inspect the car, and that if it had been washed, detailed, or damaged in any way, he wouldn’t accept the car. LOL, you should have seen the sales guys face when I pulled out my Dual Xenon Brinkmann and started looking over every square inch of the car!

I didn’t have my good camera with that day but I did snap a few phone pics…I was actually impressed that the dealership listened to his request!

The arrival date on the car had changed a few times so it was a couple weeks before I could actually get to it as a results of scheduling conflicts. This meant the owner would be doing the first wash himself. He was a little nervous about this at first, but he had read Todd’s washing/drying article before and I had also shown him how to wash a time or two when working on his other vehicles. He was also fully equipped with a CR Spotless system, pressure washer, Sheepskin Wash mitt, and high quality DI drying towels, so I assured him he could handle the job.

The car arrived at my place a couple weeks later, minus a few bugs on the front and some adhesive from the protective wrap, it was clean and unmolested.

Appearance mod installation

First up would be the removal of the factory chrome grills and installation of the gloss black ones.

Much better!

Next I would be removing the front reflectors and replacing them with painted inserts.

Color seemed off a hair but it did offer a cleaner look

I then moved onto removing the chrome turn signals from the fenders and replaced them with blacked out ones.

Last but not least, remove the chrome badges in exchange for black ones.

Opti-Coat 2.0 Application

Better than new!

Wheels re-installed and torques to factory specs

After claying the car with some fine grade clay I did a light polishing with Meguiar’s M205 on the DA polisher equipped with a crimson LC pad. Then I rewashed the car and wiped it down with a 15% IPA solution. You can also see a quick video of my Opti-Coat 2.0 application below and the full review for the product can be found here.

Now for some finished pics!

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About two years ago I began hearing rumors of a great new technology that was going to forever change how we look at paint protection. The sources talked about things like a “permanent coating,” never needing to wax again, how paint would readily shed away dirt and oil, how the product would offer better scratch and mar resistance, better UV resistance, how it wouldn’t oxidize, and would yield much better gloss retention. To be honest, I laughed at the idea myself, having worked for a company that applied those car care packages hocked by new-car dealers like a carney at the circus. I immediately thought that this miraculous new product was just another one of those gimmick paint sealants that need regular re-application to keep the warranty valid…boy was I wrong!

Enter Optimum Opti-Coat!

It was a dark and stormy night in 2004, when, in a laboratory hidden deep underground, a mad scientist obsessed with polymer technology started developing and testing Opti-Coat…Ok, so maybe it wasn’t really an underground laboratory, and that mad scientist was actually David Ghodoussi from Optimum Polymer Technologies, but that development and testing continued on for another 3+ years before Optimum was ready to unleash this amazing new product in 2008. However, this was no ordinary product release and unless you had been following along on the Optimum forum during the late stages of development, you probably would never have even heard of Opti-Coat. There was no marketing for this product, it was not being offered to the general public, and there was no information about it on Optimum’s web page. In fact, it was only available to approved professional detailers who signed a waiver acknowledging they understood the application process and risks.

As pro detailers began getting their hands on Opti-Coat and testing it for themselves, word quickly spread across the detailing network like wildfire! Although I had seen a few posts shortly after its release, I wasn’t ready to jump on the bandwagon. It wasn’t until I started to see rave reviews about the product by other very reputable pro detailers, those who I’ve come to know very well and who’s opinion I held in high regard, that my interest was piqued. In June of 2010, I ordered up my first syringe of Opti-Coat and applied it to my car. After 15 months of having this fantastic product on my car I can honestly say it has far surpassed my expectations!

Where can I order it?

After all that build-up, I’m sorry to say that because of it’s very nature, Opti-Coat is still only available to professional detailers. Opti-Coat is a permanent coating and it is not applied like a traditional wax or sealant. Once it’s cured the only way to remove Opti-Coat is by polishing, sanding, or with the use of paint removers. Because of its impervious property, IPA, Prep-Sol, Detergents, degreasers, or other chemical cleaners will not affect the coating. While the application process is very similar to Opti-Seal, when applying Opti-Coat you must ensure that it levels out before it cures (and it cures fast), because once it sets, it’s not coming off. Obviously this could pose a significant liability in the hands of the general public, which is why it’s only available to pro detailers.

Enter Optimum Opti-Coat 2.0

As more and more pro detailers posted their experiences with Opti-Coat, the general public car/detailing enthusiast became increasingly frustrated that they could not obtain the product. Well, the great folks over at Optimum Polymer Technologies were listening the entire time and they spent the next 3 years secretly tweaking the formula. The changes would make application easier and more user friendly for the consumer market. In Spring of 2011 Optimum officially released the consumer version of the coating! (drumroll, please……) It is calledOpti-Coat 2.0and, as promised, it is available to the general public!

Opti-Coat 2.0 has all the same exceptional qualities of the pro version (now named Opti-Guard), but it cures more slowly, thereby giving the user more time to level out any areas where the product might have been applied too heavily.

So what is Opti-Coat 2.0 and what’s so special about it?

Opti-Coat is a one component moisture cure clear coat much like a one-component moisture cure isocyanates paint. Once it is applied, just like other clear coats, there is no need to add boosters or other maintenance products to replenish it.

Opti-Coat vs. Urethane clears

Much better scratch and Mar resistance

Much better release properties (readily sheds dirt and oil)

Much better UV resistance (no yellowing over time)

Much better gloss retention

Does not oxidize (will continue to bead water and release dirt for years).

David Ghodoussi, CEO
Optimum Polymer Technologies, Inc

I can say that this product has been a blessing for me and my clients! Since I have a full-time career and only detail on the weekends, I’m often left with very little time to care for my own vehicle. Now that my vehicle is coated with Opti-Coat it stays cleaner longer, attracts less dust, shows reduced marring, makes washing and drying a snap, and best of all it frees up more time for doing other things in my life. I no longer need to spend half a day washing and waxing my car every week, not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I simply just don’t have the time anymore. I also applied Opti-Coat to my wife’s car. Her busy schedule doesn’t afford me much more than a few washes a year and I wanted to preserve the look and life of her paint as much as possible. The time-saving feature of Opti-Coat is truly a benefit and a strong selling point for many of my clients.

Most importantly, I feel Opti-Coat is revolutionary for both consumers and the detailing community. By offering this product to our clients we are, in a sense, offering a renewable clear coat, but with much better properties. I’ve been using this information to help sell Opti-Coat to my clients for a while, but it is especially important for clients with new cars sporting very thin OEM paint (80-90 microns). Even though this is a permanent coating, I really don’t try to sell it as such. Instead, I educate the customer about the product and highlight the benefits, including that future polishing will remove less OEM paint, since the majority of light swirling and marring will be in the coating. I also like to explain that Opti-Coat offers increased UV protection to replenish the small amount potentially removed during polishing.

Application and Paint Prep

Prior to application of the coating you will want to get the paint corrected to your desired level of finish. Once you coat the paint you shouldn’t do any aggressive polishing because of the possibility that you will compromise the coating, so get it looking good before you apply! You should consider washing, claying, and/or polishing to remove any unsightly swirling or marring. Once you have the vehicle looking up to snuff, ensure all polishing oils are removed. There are several ways to do this but I utilize a foam cannon mixed with a solution of Optimum Power Clean and Chemical Guy’s Citrus Wash. First, I rinse the car really well, then I spray it down with the foam cannon and leave it to dwell for a few minutes. Next, I wash the car using the 2BM and Chemical Guy’s Citrus Wash as my soap, mixed at the paint prep ratio. Rinse and dry the vehicle. Finally, once the vehicle is dry I do an IPA (isopropyl alcohol, 15% mixture) wipe-down to ensure that absolutely all oils are removed. (Note: If you’re using Optimum’s latest polishes, all that is needed after polishing is to wipe the panel down with some water and a soft MF towel…Although, I’ll usually give the car a wash anyway).

What surfaces can I apply the coating to?

Painted Surfaces

Wheels

Plastic trim

Headlights

Chrome

Note: Optimum does not officially recommend Opti-Coat 2.0 on glass surfaces. Basically, it can interfere with clarity or slightly blur your view if it doesn’t even out or if you’re left with high spots. However, if the application is done properly there should be no issue and I’ve successfully applied it to the glass on numerous vehicles.

Now that you’ve got the car all prepped, please see the below video for my method on application.

Here is another video showing what you have to look forward to once your car is coated with Opti-Coat!

Tips / Closing Thoughts

Although I love Opti-Coat 2.0, this product is not for everyone; for those of you out there who like to wax/seal your car often, you might want to skip Opti-Coat. If you aren’t sure of your skills in removing defects through polishing, this may not be your optimal solution. However, if you do want it applied to your car I suggest finding a reputable detailer with application experience.

If you give application a shot on your own, you may find high spots in the paint after the coating has cured. You can simply level these areas off by polishing with Poli-Seal or Optimum Finish, or you can re-polish the entire panel and try applying the coating again. For an example of what high spots look like, please see the photos below.

Opti-Coat 2.0 cannot be layered as it will not bond to itself. If you want to reapply the coating you will need to perform a light/moderate polishign of the paint for it to adhere properly, much like sanding a surface before it’s painted.

Opti-Coat 2.0 comes in a 20cc syringe. This should be enough to coat 2 mid-size cars. On average I use 6-8cc of product to coat all paint, trim, glass, and wheels of a car that is about the size of a Camry or and Accord.

I suggest wearing nitrile or latex gloves as well as eye protection during the use of this product.

The most common question I’m asked is, “can I top it with another wax, sealant, or detail spray?” While the answer is yes, it really defeats the purpose of the coating as the paint will temporarily take on the properties of whatever product you use. I also say “temporarily” because waxes and sealants aren’t able to bond to the coating like they can to well-prepped paint. While they may improve the overall look and feel of the paint for a short time, the durability of these additional products will be reduced significantly.

Examples of high spots after improper Opti-Coat 2.0 application:

In conclusion, although it may not be for everyone, I love Opti-Coat for my family cars and for the majority of my clients!

Are you looking for the ultimate wash mitt for your vehicle’s delicate finish? Well, look no further! I’m happy to say Detailed Image is now carrying the new reThickulous Wool Wash Mitt. There are many great wash mitts on the market today; however, this wash mitt is for those of us who demand the absolute best for our baby, or those who have very delicate paint. Previously, my go-to product was the DI Sheepskin Wash Mitt, and for most jobs it will remain so. However, the new reThickulous Mitt is the new favorite for my personal cars and high end client vehicles.

Here is how the mitt looks when new:

Note: In the below pics I had already used the mitt a few times and it wasn’t 100% dry either

Here is a comparison next to the DI Sheepskin Mitt. As you can see this thing is soft and fluffy!

Here is one with my hand next to both mitts:

Both mitts have a nice elastic band for excellent grip on your wrist as well as a loop for hanging to dry:

One thing I find attractive about this new mitt is a strong resemblance to my Himalayan cat. She’s super soft and fluffy and kind of looks like the mitt too!

However, I got “the look” when I told her I was going to use her to wash my car!

Caring for your reTHICKulous Wool Wash Mitt is simple; rinse it out really well after use and inspect for dirt…it does seem to release dirt very well too. After that simply hang it to dry in a clean environment or place in an empty bucket on top of a grit guard. If you’re OCD like me and want it to continue looking like new after each use, I picked up a great tip from my friend and fellow detailer, Corey (CEE DOG): after the mitt is dry, simply brush the mitt with a wire brush similar to the one in the picture below. On top of fluffing the fibers back up its also a great way to ensure any and all dirt is removed. After several uses mine still looks like new!

In closing, this mitt is definitely awesome, but given the high price point, I don’t feel it’s the best choice for cars that are very dirty and those that aren’t cared for on a regular basis.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this review and if you have any questions or comments please submit them in the comment box below.

For the average car owner, or even weekend detailer, interior cleaning can often be quite the challenge, which typically ends in unsatisfactory results. The biggest problem most people face is that they don’t currently own, nor do they want to spend the large amount of money needed to purchase expensive industrial hot water extractors and/or vapor steam cleaning machines, both of which can cost anywhere from $600 on up. While there is no doubt these machine deliver the best results time and time again, their cost is very hard to justify if their not used on a regular basis.

So what is a person to do? Well, luckily I’m here today to help you get great results at a fraction of the cost.

Before we get started I’d like to note that this article is for cleaning BASIC SOILING ONLY. Special chemicals and techniques should be used when treating stains such red Kool-Aid, urine, vomit, ink, coffee, and gum. These chemicals or (spotting kits) can often be found at janitorial supply stores.

First lets look at a list of items that you’ll need.

A good Shop-Vac, one that can be used to suck up water as well, the more lift it has the better.

Now that we have all the tools and products we need lets get started. To help with explaining my process I’m going to use this Chevy truck, which just recently came in for an interior cleaning…I thought it was a perfect candidate. The owner is big into hunting and fishing and his truck definitely gets used. Our long Minnesota winters are also notorious for leaving crusty salt deposits on the carpets, which can clearly be seen in the pics below.

Over the years dirt and debris has collected in all the seems between all the interior trim. Dirt, food, glass, coins, wrappers, and many other things had also collected under the seats and between the seats and center console.

Several spills had occurred as well

Clearly I had my work cut out for me!

Step 1

The first thing we want to do is to remove all loose articles from the interior and then take our Shop-Vac and give the whole interior a thorough vacuuming.

Step 2

If you have crusty salt deposits or stains they can often be loosened up with a stiff carpet brush while they are still dry

Step 3

Next we want to purge the interior with air to get all the loose debris out of those hard to reach areas. I find that using compressed air on interiors to be one of the most valuable tools you can have. The task can be done with other methods (Shop-Vac that blows air too), but I’ve found this to be the most effective and efficient. Ideally I would have removed the seats on the vehicle but it wasn’t really that dirty under the seats and it also wasn’t in the owners budget. Removing the seats would have also defeated the purpose of this article since most people don’t have the necessary tools for such a job, nor do they understand the necessary precautions needed to do such a thing with. (Today’s modern vehicles, which are equipped with air bags built into the seats).

Safety first! Any time you’re blowing out the interior it is recommended that you wear eye and ear protection….especially on a vehicle such as this where broken glass was apparent.

This method is great for removing fine dirt and debris that falls between the seams of the seats

Blowing out the debris between the seats and console

Even after a thorough vacuuming you can see some of the stuff that came out from purging air under the seats and between the center console….fries anyone?

After you’ve purged the interior with air you will want to go back over with the vacuum and suck up any loose debris.

Step 4

Now we will want to tackle the interior trim and headliner. The vinyl can be cleaned using an APC like Optimum Power Clean or Meguiar’s D101/D103, various brushes, and several MF towels.

I start by spraying the heavily soiled areas of the panel with an APC. (Arm rests are often the worst area on the panel)

Next gently agitate the soiled ares with an upholstery brush so that you can get down into the textured groves of the vinyl.

A small detail brush can be used to loosen debris in the cracks/panel seems and is also great for vents too

After agitating those areas with a brush follow it up by wiping the panel down it a damp MF towel.

If only light cleaning is needed a simple spray with APC and wipe with a towel is all that is needed. (1Z Cockpit Premium is also a great gentle cleaner for those light jobs)

Then follow up with a dry towel. Air is a great tool here too as it helps clean the cracks/panel seems and removes excess water. (Note: Be mindful around electronics and switches when using cleaning liquids and compressed air. Avoid spraying them directly with cleaners, water, and air)

A lot of vehicles have cup holders and trays that are easily removed and simply snap back into place. If the vehicle you are working on has trays like these, you can save time and also do a much better job of clean them outside of the car. The tray below was removed, sprayed down with some Optimum Power Clean, agitated with a brush, rinsed off with water, dried down, and dressed with 303 Aerospace protectant. Compressed air was also used to aid in the fast drying.

Step 5

After finishing the interior trim I did some light cleaning of the headliner (sorry no pics). Anytime your working with the fabric headliners you want to avoid over wetting. To do this I simply spray some APC on a dry micro fiber towel and gently rub the soiled areas.

The leather seats were also gently cleaned using Optimum Power Clean at 10:1. This was done by working in small sections using a process similar to the vinyl above, though you want to be a little more gentle using the leather brush. (Note: When working on leather always test the cleaners in an inconspicuous areas first!)

Step 6

Before we start extracting the carpets with our Little Green Machine we will want to treat any soiling with a fabric cleaner like 303 Fabric & Vinyl Cleaner and let it dwell for a few minutes.

Next you will want to scrub those areas with a carpet brush and follow it up with your little extractor.

Some additional notes on cleaning the carpets:

Pre-treating and scrubbing are very important, don’t expect the machine to do all the work.

You want to avoid over wetting as much as possible. Cheaper extractors lack PSI and especially water lift which will leave carpet/fabric more wet then a high end extractor will. To reduce over wetting I suggest following up the extraction process with a Shop-Vac right away to remove as much water as possible.

You may need to repeat the process several times on heavily soiled areas

The hotter the water the better. Some of the units will have heat on them (helps a little) but I still fill the tank with hot water from the tap

After doing all the above I decided to call it quits for that day and would return the next morning to wrap up the details.

Note: After you’ve cleaned the carpets it is important that they dry as soon as possible. Air movers or fans should be placed in a way that allows them to blow over all cleaned/damp areas. Anytime I do an interior job I keep the car overnight and place my air-movers inside the vehicle as shown below. This usually has them dry in a few hours but your drying time will vary depending on several factors. NEVER SEAL UP A CAR WHEN THE INTERIOR IS STILL DAMP OR ALLOW IT TO DRY ON ITS OWN!

Step 7

Now that the carpets are done you can go over all the vinyl with a protectant (optional) that meets your or your clients desired level of gloss. In this case I choose 303 Aerospace protectant. If you desire no gloss at all Meguiar’s Quick Interior Detailer or 1Z Cockpit Premium work excellent and both of them are also great for the Radio/Nav and dash displays. I also applied the 303 to all door seals.

All glass was then cleaned with Meguiar’s D120 glass cleaner.

Now for some finished pics!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this article and found the information helpful. If you have any questions or comments please do so in the comment box below.

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One of the most common questions I see on the various auto enthusiast and detailing forums is, “how do I know what pads and polishes to use on my car?” While most experienced detailers can just look at a car and have a very good idea of what pad, polish, and tool they’re going to use, this assessment can be very hard for someone who is new to detailing. For example, I have been polishing cars for over 20 years, and approximately 90% of the time I use the original process I planned from my initial assessment of the paint. Even so, there always seems to be that one car that comes along and throws me for a loop, and that my DI blog readers is the reason we do a test spot.

So how do I assess the paint and decide my process? Keeping in mind that we always want to use the least aggressive method to achieve our goal, I base my decision on the criteria below.

Evaluate the customer

This step is one of the most important. You should always be cognizant of your customer’s expectations and not every car has to have 100% correction with a show car finish! Not being aware can lead to unpleasant invoice surprises for the client and wasted time on your part. The polishes and pads you use should be specifically tailored to your customers needs. For instance, if your customer is only looking for a 1-step polish, and simply wants the paint to be clean and shiny, then deciding your process should be pretty easy. At the opposite end of the spectrum is a vehicle that is in pretty rough shape and a customer desiring full correction. In this situation, and many in between, you will want to determine your process based on more of the criteria listed below.

Make and model of the vehicle

Automobiles leave the production line sporting a wide variety of paint hardness. This is normal, and the ability to recognize and accommodate for the differences will become more natural as time passes and a detailer has the opportunity to work with a variety of different manufactures. When using the same pad and polish on a car with softer paint, such as you’ll typically find with Honda or Toyota, the paint is more easily corrected but can also be more difficult to finish down when compared to a vehicle with harder paint, such as an Audi or Mercedes. So if I have two cars, a Honda and an Audi, with paint in similar condition, I know that I should be able to use a less aggressive method on the Honda in order to achieve the same results. You may also find that you have to use a much more aggressive polish on harder paints just to get a noticeable amount of correction, though they tend to finish down better than that same aggressive combination would on a car with softer paint. It is also important to note that on cars which have had prior body work, those panels may respond differently to polishing than the OEM panels. Thus, some adjustments may be needed in your process to achieve the results you are looking for. While we detailers tend to have a generalization of paint hardness on specific cars, it’s important to note that this is not set in stone. In fact, you could actually have two identical cars (same make, model, year, and color) with completely different paint hardness. You also need to keep in mind that opinions vary and not everyone will agree on a particular cars paint hardness.

Evaluate the finish

You always need to evaluate the vehicle finish when the car is clean and, if possible, stripped of any protection. This will allow you to assess the true finish. Waxes, sealants, and especially glazes can conceal some defects. This is especially important when dealing with new cars or cars that have just come out of the body shop. You will want to look for swirls, holograms, bird dropping staining/etching, water-spot etching, over spray, and Random Isolated Deep Scratches (RIDS). Try and look at the car in direct sunlight as well. If natural sunlight is not an option, then having a good light Source like the Brinkmann Dual Xenon or LED is critical in spotting defects. Also be sure to look over the vehicle for signs of previous correction that could cause reason for concern, such as edges that have been rubbed through. If you have a paint thickness gauge (PTG) you can also check for consistent and healthy paint readings.

Understanding the nuances and intended use of different pads and polishes

Since paint correction is all about leveling and refining the paint, it’s important to understand the differences between the various polishes and buffing pads. I like to categorize polishes and pads into 3 general categories: Compounding or cutting, polishing, and finishing. Typically, one will use a cutting pad with a compound or cutting polish, polishing pads will be used with a polish, and finishing pads will be used with a finishing polish. You can also interchange the pads and polishes to get different levels of cut and finishing, which is useful for finicky paints, but typically it’s best if they are paired up within the same category.

Now that we have our assessment criteria, lets look at some examples. As you begin to evaluate, please keep in mind that the condition level I list in each of these pictures is merely my opinion, a fabulous gift to which each individual is duly entitled.

Light Defects:

Here is a picture of a Porsche Todd did a while back. This car would be considered to be in fair condition with light to moderate marring. Since Porsche paint tends to be of the softer side, one can usually achieve very good correction with a 1-step correction using a light to moderate polish and polishing pad.

Here is that same panel after M205 on the PCXP with a white LC pad.

Moderate defects:

Here is the hood of a BMW X5 that has what I’d consider to be moderate defects. It has light to moderate marring as well as some dealer installed holograms. Full removal of defect like this will typically require 2-3 correction steps. This particular car had very hard paint so an aggressive compound was needed to remove the defects, but it also finished down very well. This resulted in only needing one more polishing to finish down perfectly.

Here is the same hood after using M105 on the PCXP with and orange LC pad followed by M205 on the PCXP with a black LC pad. (Note: I did chase down some RIDS with M105 on the rotary with a PFW pad in order to achieve 99% correction, but all marring and holograms were removed with just the 2 steps)

Severe defects:

Here is an example of a highly neglected finish on a black STS-V, which some of you may recognize from an earlier article. This car shows heavy marring, holograms, and deep RIDS. In order to bring a car in this condition back to at least 95% correction, multiple correction steps were needed.
Here is that same panel after a 4 step correction (Heavy compound, compound, polish, finishing polish)

Here is another example of sever defects. The vehicle is showing heavy marring, sanding scratches, and severe RIDS, some of which were too deep to safely remove.
50/50 shot
After 3 step correction (compound, polish, finishing polish)

So hopefully this article has given you a better understanding to determine your process, or at the very least given you a good understanding of where to start with on your test spot.